List of Latin phrases (B)

This page lists English translations of notable Latin phrases, such as veni vidi vici and et cetera. Some of the phrases are themselves translations of Greek phrases, as Greek rhetoric and literature reached its peak centuries before the rise of ancient Rome.

Originally from Ovid, Heroides 13.84,[1] where Laodamia is writing to her husband Protesilaus who is at the Trojan War. She begs him to stay out of danger, but he was in fact the first Greek to die at Troy. Also used of the Habsburg marriages of 1477 and 1496, written as bella gerant alii, tu felix Austria nube (let others wage war; you, happy Austria, marry). Said by King Matthias.

In other words, "well-intentioned", "fairly". In modern contexts, often has connotations of "genuinely" or "sincerely". Bona fides is not the plural (which would be bonis fidebus), but the nominative, and means simply "good faith". Opposite of mala fide.

bona notabilia

note-worthy goods

In law, if a person dying has goods, or good debts, in another diocese or jurisdiction within that province, besides his goods in the diocese where he dies, amounting to a certain minimum value, he is said to have bona notabilia; in which case, the probat of his will belongs to the archbishop of that province.

bona officia

good services

A nation's offer to mediate in disputes between two other nations.

bona patria

goods of a country

A jury or assize of countrymen, or good neighbors.

bona vacantia

vacant goods

United Kingdom legal term for ownerless property that passes to The Crown.

boni pastoris est tondere pecus non deglubere

it is a good shepherd's [job] to shear his flock, not to flay them

Tiberius reportedly said this to his regional commanders, as a warning against taxing the populace excessively.

bono malum superate

Overcome evil with good

Motto of Westonbirt School.

bonum commune communitatis

common good of the community

Or "general welfare". Refers to what benefits a society, as opposed to bonum commune hominis, which refers to what is good for an individual. In the film Hot Fuzz, this phrase is chanted by an assembled group of people, in which context it is deliberately similar to another phrase that is repeated throughout the film, which is The Greater Good.

bonum commune hominis

common good of a man

Refers to an individual's happiness, which is not "common" in that it serves everyone, but in that individuals tend to be able to find happiness in similar things.

Used to indicate either an empty threat, or a judgement at law which has no practical effect.

busillis

—

Pseudo-Latin meaning "baffling puzzle" or "difficult point". John of Cornwall (ca. 1170) was once asked by a scribe what the word meant. It turns out that the original text said in diebus illis magnis plenae (in those days there were plenty of great things), which the scribe misread as indie busillis magnis plenae (in India there were plenty of large busillis).